Intellectual

Disabilities
By Andres, Bette, and Brittany
Defining Intellectual
Disabilities
Intellectual Disability is the term used
when a person is limited in general mental
abilities expected for their age and effect
functioning in these two areas:

Intellectual Functioning: Learning,

problem solving, judgement, etc.

Adaptive Functioning:
Communication, social skills,
independent living, etc.
 DSM-5
The DSM-5 defines intellectual disabilities as neurodevelopmental disorders that begin in childhood and are
characterized by intellectual difficulties as well as difficulties in conceptual, social, and practical areas of living.

Classifications
Diagnostic Criteria
1. Deficits in intellectual functioning
2. Deficits in adaptive functioning
3. The onset of these deficits during childhood
DSM-5 encourages more comprehensive view of
individual than previous editions
● Still have IQ testing, but also include clinical
evaluation
● Evaluates functions in conceptual, social, and
daily life areas
● Abandoned specific IQ score criteria, but retain
a general amount that a person should be in
comparison to general population
● Mild to Moderate ID
○ Slower in areas of conceptual development,
however can learn practical life skills that
usually leads to independent living with minimal
support as adults.
● Severe ID
○ Major delays in development, limited
communication skills, can learn simple self-care
and generally need to live in supervised settings
as adults.
● Profound ID
○ Congenital syndromes, cannot live
independently as adults, and require close
supervision with basic self-care.
 Types & Causes
Causes Most Common Types
● Environmental (prenatal)
Before Birth
● Injury
● Down Syndrome
● Disease
● Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
● Genetic factors
● Fragile X Syndrome
● For many children the cause
● Genetic Conditions
is unknown
Signs of Intellectual After Birth
● Serious Head Injury
Disabilities ● Stroke
● Sitting up/crawling/walking later ● Certain Infections
● Talking later or trouble speaking
● Challenge remembering things
● Trouble understanding social rules
● Challenge seeing results of actions
● Trouble solving problems
 3 Demographic Factors

Sex Race/Ethnicity SES

Minorities are 1.5-2 times Most consistent risk for
More prevalent in males
more likely to be developing ID
than females
diagnosed than
non-minorities
 Manifestations
Behavioral Social
● Poor impulse control ● Immature interactions
● Poor frustration tolerance w/ peers
● Stubbornness ● Poor social
● Aggression skills/difficulty
● Passivity understanding social
● Attention seeking behavior cues
Withdrawal from social
Cognitive + ●
activities
Academic
● Significant delays in motor skills Health
● Delayed speech ● Depression in adolescent years
● Difficulty learning @ appropriate grade ● Psychotic disorders
level ● Some conditions co-occur:
● Poor memory ○ Autism-Spectrum Disorder
● Inability to understand consequences ○ Cerebral Palsy
of actions ○ Epilepsy
● Poor problem solving skills ○ ADHD
○ Impulse control disorder
○ Anxiety disorder
Intellectual Disabilities in Schools
What you might see The impact
Could be challenging to express needs to teachers,
Lack of communication skills or to form relationships with peers

Insufficient at taking care of personal Delays in basic self-care activities or awareness

needs might result in isolation from peers

Challenge learning academic subjects Can lead to low self-esteem and feeling othered by
(ie. reading, writing, math) teacher or peers

Frequent challenges getting along

Can lead to lack of friends and peers in school,
with peers (problem solving & not leading to feelings of isolation
seeing consequences)
Depending on their involvement, student
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) might feel ownership over some of the
issues they encounter in school
 (Intellectual Disability, 2017).

What Teachers
Should Know
● Be aware of intellectual disability manifestations
● Be as concrete as possible
○ Demonstrate what you mean instead of giving
verbal directions
● Break large tasks into small steps
○ Demonstrate the steps
● Incorporate life skills into teaching
● Provide direct + immediate feedback
● Be informed about a student’s IEP
● Recognize that you can make a difference!
Practicing
Inclusivity in
the
Classroom
 Supporting Students with Intellectual
Disabilities
Give Support & Supplementary
Encouragement Aids/Services
Create accommodations that
Encourage the students to utilize their
support and enhance the learning
strengths and offer support in areas where
experience of the student. All
they may be delayed. Offer support and
accommodations are noted in the
encourage self determination.
student’s IEP.

Transition Planning Inclusivity

Using inclusive language as to not
Giving the students the tools to
create differences between SWID and
transition into adulthood. Learning and
other students. The students are
practicing life skills.
learning the same curriculum and
Practicing for a job interview/job.
participating in all of the same
activities Make sure school is a friendly
and welcoming environment for SWID.
 Closing Thoughts

-Ignacio Estrado -Temple Grandin

Thank
You!
 Resources
● Clinical Characteristics of Intellectual Disabilities. (2015). National Library of Medicine.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK332877/
● Facts About Intellectual Disability. (2019, October 25). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/developmentaldisabilities/facts-about-intellectual-disability.html
● Inclusive Teaching: Intellectual Disability. (n.d.). ADCET.
https://www.adcet.edu.au/inclusive-teaching/specific-disabilities/intellectual-disability
● N. (2017, June). Intellectual Disability | Center for Parent Information and Resources. Center for Parent Information &
Resources. https://www.parentcenterhub.org/intellectual/
● National Association of Special Education Teachers: Comprehensive Overview of Intellectual Disability. (2016, April 22).
National Association of Special Education Teachers.
https://www.naset.org/professional-resources/exceptional-students-and-disability-information/intellectual-disabilities/comprehe
nsive-overview-of-intellectual-disability
● What is an Intellectual Disability? | HealthyPlace. (2022, January 10). HealthyPlace.
https://www.healthyplace.com/neurodevelopmental-disorders/intellectual-disability/what-is-an-intellectual-disability-0
● What is Intellectual Disability? (2021, August). American Psychiatric Association.
https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/intellectual-disability/what-is-intellectual-disability